TP2: Therapy of autoimmune subepidermal blistering dermatoses with targeted antibody derivates

Subepidermal blistering dermatoses are prototypic for autoantibody-mediated autoimmune diseases. They are caused by autoantibodies directed against structural proteins of the dermal-epidermal junction. These autoantibodies induce inflammatory processes at their binding site, leading to a severely itching dermatitis and blister eruption of the whole body. Therapy of theses diseases is often impaired by severe side effects of immunosuppression, which leads to iatrogenic morbidity and mortality especially in geriatric patients.

Aim of this project is to develop new biologics with higher efficacy and less side effects. For this purpose, we want to generate fusion proteins which target the dermal-epidermal junction after injection and build an anti-inflammatory environment where it is needed. For testing therapeutic efficacy, several diseases models exist which mimick the pathogenic chain of events in vivo and ex vivo.